WinterFest 2025 Catalog
ALL SESSIONS WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM
Wednesdays, January 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025
First Session: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. in Zoom
Second Session: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in Zoom
Click a course title to see the full description. Click the title again to close the description.
ALL SESSIONS WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM
Bard LLI members and WinterFest presenters may invite individual guests. Members, presenters, and their guests are welcome at every presentation. The Bard community of faculty, staff, and students is also welcome.
WinterFest Registration: Registration is not required. LLI members will be sent a weekly Zoom invitation to attend presentations. Details on all presentations can also be viewed on ProClass.
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Description: Recent years have seen a resurgence of antisemitism on both the extreme left and right of much of the global political spectrum. Since the Hamas invasion of Israel in 2023 and the subsequent ongoing war, we have witnessed an explosion of this frightening phenomenon. This lecture will review the origins and history of antisemitism, describe the ways it is structural in Western thought, and illuminate how this ancient prejudice is being deployed to skew our perceptions of current events. Recommended (but not required) reading: the book Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition by David Nirenberg.
Presenter: Rabbi Jonathan Kligler was the leader of the Woodstock Jewish Congregation for 34 years and recently retired. He earned an MA in Hebrew Letters and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He is a teacher, singer, and musician, and also the author of two books. His current writing can be accessed at jonathan kligler.substack.com.
Producer: Mary McClellan
Description: Discover yogic methods for physical and psychological renewal in this gentle 90-minute class. After a short informative explanation, we’ll practice breathwork, meditation, and slow, deep movement to promote physical relaxation and mental equanimity. You’ll need a yoga mat, two blankets or thick beach towels, a warm throw, a strap, a thin pillow, and two yoga blocks or dense cushions. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. You’ll be required to turn off your phones. (The class requires getting fully down onto the floor and back up; modifications are available upon request.) All levels are welcome.
Presenter: Linda Cassidy has had a lifelong interest in physical movement and its synergistic effects on the mind and body. Specializing in hatha yoga as developed by B.K.S. Iyengar and taught by renowned yogi Rodney Yee, Linda brings 22 years of dedicated yoga study and 12 years of teaching experience. She skillfully guides students through transformative practices that blend physical awareness with introspective depth.
Producer: Eleanor Wieder
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Description: In 1903, an aspiring journalist named Leonidas Hubbard set out with two companions to canoe across Labrador, an unforgiving wilderness of mosquito-infested barrens and lakes without names. Only two out of three men survived the ordeal. The ensuing controversy sparked two expeditions, led by bitter rivals, racing to complete the unfinished mission. Historian James West Davidson’s slide lecture will show how he and his paddling partner retraced the routes, unearthed the original diaries, and recreated the saga in Great Heart: The History of a Labrador Adventure. The book was hailed by the National Geographic Society as one of the 100 Best Adventure Books of All Time.
Presenter: James West Davidson is a historian (PhD, Yale University) and wilderness canoeist. He and his paddling partner John Rugge wrote The Complete Wilderness Paddler, a how-to guide to canoeing and camping (“A classic”—Outside magazine). Davidson has written numerous college, high school, and middle grades texts, including (with Mark Lytle) After the Fact: the Art of Historical Detection. His most recent book is A Little History of the United States (Yale University Press).
Producer: Anne Brueckner
Description: Virtually tour the 60th Venice Biennale, where we will present the event’s most captivating highlights. Explore pavilions at Giardini and Arsenale, featuring exhibitions that delve into the overarching theme, Foreigner Everywhere. Many artists reflected on the idea of displacement, migration, and fluidity of identity. Discover off-site exhibitions, including the women’s prison Casa Reclusione Femminile Venezia “Giudecca.” Traverse the vibrant districts of Venice—Castello, Dorsoduro, and Cannaregio—and become immersed in the artistic and cultural presence throughout the city. This engaging narrative will transport you into the heart of the Biennale, offering an insightful look at the art, culture, and ideas that define this prestigious, world-renowned event.
Presenter: Ronnit Vasserman has a degree in fine arts and art history from Brooklyn College. She founded Art Connect Group, a full-service art consulting firm in New York. In addition to helping clients acquire art, she educates them on all the latest trends by organizing events throughout the year. These events include art fair walkthroughs, as well as studio, museum, auction house, and gallery visits. Vasserman works with artists across the spectrum, from blue chip to straight out of art school.
Producer: Janet Pincus
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Description: Join us for a virtual tour of the Poughkeepsie Water Filtration Plant, the first of its kind in the United States, which was built back in 1872. This tour offers a unique opportunity to learn how river water from the Hudson is transformed into potable water. You’ll get an inside look at the inner workings of the plant and the equipment used in the water processing.
Presenter: Randy Alstadt, aka “The Water Wizard,” is a NYS professional engineer and water plant administrator who has been working at the plant since 1997.
Producer: Dorothy Baran
Description: A history of homegrown stuff! In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Poughkeepsie was a city of industry where everything from cars to computers was manufactured. This lecture covers many of the products that were once made here.
Presenter: Shannon Butler is the historian for the Poughkeepsie Public Library. She also served as the historian for the town of Hyde Park. Shannon has worked at several historic sites, including Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site and Clermont State Historic Site. She has written two books, including Roosevelt Homes of the Hudson Valley: Hyde Park and Beyond. She co-hosts the historical podcast All My Favorite People Are Dead.
Producer: Leslie Weinstock
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Description: “Ask Dr. Amy” is an opportunity to ask questions, questions that elicit information and reveal that we are not alone. We will discuss many aspects of health and healing, including but not limited to menopause, bone density, prolapse, UTIs, and sexuality as we age. Questions may be emailed by January 22, 2025 (to [email protected]) or asked live on ZOOM during the class.
This is a unique opportunity to have your gynecological questions answered in a supportive and informative environment in 1.5 hours devoted to Q&A.
Presenter: Amy Novatt, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified Ob-Gyn, assisting women in all aspects of gynecological care, focusing on perimenopause, menopause, and the changes in their sexual lives, and helping them find strategies for healing and improved lifestyles. Dr. Novatt ensures patients are aware of complementary healing modalities so they may explore other available healing techniques. She is creator and host of GynoCurious, a podcast, sharing interviews and stories from “both sides of the speculum.”
Producer: Dorothy Baran
Description: Feelings of belonging affect all people. Even though it is not wrong to have these feelings, the problem is thinking that it is. Loneliness is at epidemic proportions affecting people of all ages. The desire to belong is what makes us human. We can learn to feel more connected—it is wired into us. In this course, participants will explore the notion of belonging and practice some mindfulness meditation techniques to assist on the journey.
Presenter: Robin Bernstein, MSW, (LLI) is a clinical social worker and a certified mindfulness meditation teacher. She worked for 26 years at the Educational Alliance, a network of community centers and treatment facilities in New York City. She started there as a social worker and spent the last 15 years as president and CEO. Following Educational Alliance, she created a consulting firm and, for the last nine years, has consulted on projects in Africa, coaching executives, and serving as interim CEO in a few organizations.
Producer: Leslie Weinstock
Description: In this virtual class, students will learn to paint a luminous landscape in watercolor with ease. The class emphasizes the wet-on-wet technique and a limited palette, allowing colors to blend seamlessly on paper. Suitable for all skill levels, this class provides a relaxed environment to learn and enhance watercolor skills and explore personal style and expression. Participants may choose to observe or paint at home along with the instructor. A limited suggested supply list is available on the presenter’s website. Learn more at betsyjacaruso.com (Click Intro to WatercolorBeginner Workshop Supplies, if you wish to preview recommended materials for beginner participation).
Presenter: Betsy Jacaruso received her BFA from the Pratt Institute of Art. She is recognized not only as a talented painter but also as a gifted instructor of drawing and painting techniques as a way of realizing individual vision. Betsy’s mastery of the medium is invaluable in teaching aspiring watercolorists to handle its complexities. Her work exploring atmosphere and luminosity in landscape has been featured in regional and international exhibitions and is in private collections throughout the United States and Europe.
Producer: Suzanne Holzberg
Credits
Curriculum Committee
Mary McClellan, Chair
Kathryn Clark, Secretary
Dorothy Baran
Anne Brueckner
Barbara Danish
Fern Fleckman
Carmela Gersbeck
Susan Hinkle
Suzanne Holzberg
Joyce Kanner
Emily Michael
Gary Miller
Chuck Mishaan
Margaret Moran
Janet Pincus
Cathy Reinis
Margaret Shuhala
L Walker
Leslie Weinstock
Eleanor Wieder
Catalog Team
Deborah Lanser, Chair
Anne Brueckner
Susan Christoffersen
Cristina Ochagavia
Margaret Shuhala
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